1. Introduction and important notes

Please read the following instructions carefully. The use of the app is very simple, so it won’t distract you unnecessarily while driving.

Please note: a 100%-security is impossible and thus, there is none. The fixed speed camera database covers more than 99% of Europe. We receive more than 20.000 daily reports of speed cameras.

By tapping on the alert („+“) button, it is possible to report mobile or fixed speed cameras. This will help us to improve the quality and quantity of our speed camera database.

For using our app we recommend a data flat rate. If the online mode is activated, the fixed speed camera database updates every 7 days, mobile speed camera database updates every 5 minutes. When the database update is complete, a little pop-up will show on the display.

We highly recommend the usage of an in-car charger. The battery drains much quicker because the smartphone is constantly locating your current position, processing received data and illuminating the display is continuous (as it should be).

The app runs on smartphones with Android 2.1 or higher. The app has been tested up to Android 5.1

If you have further questions, please visit the section „Frequently Asked Questions“ on our website http://portal.blitzer.de or write an email to info@blitzer.de.

2. App starting

Loading the app
While the app is loading, a black screen with an enlarged icon and our logo shows.

Vehicle not moving
As long as the „+“- button is greyed out, speed cameras can‘t be reported. The reporting of fixed or mobile speed cameras is only possible after a few seconds of moving.

When a GPS signal is received and there is no warning for the surrounding area, the screen will show three green chevrons indicating “free road ahead”. Beneath the green chevrons appears “No reports”.

Number of active users

In the middle section at the bottom of the app you’ll find the number of users who are currently using the Blitzer.de/CamSam app (total number). If you tap on this section, the number will change and you’ll see the number of active users within a 30km area. (15km diameter from your current position).

Update databases

After the initial app installation the data base of fixed cameras is already activated. In order to receive the latest version, the app should run at least 2 minutes with a steady WiFi-connection after starting. After the successful update of the database, a small pop-up appears at the bottom of the app.

Similarly, while driving and in active online mode every 5 mins a small info screen appears informing you about the successful update of the mobile camera and danger databases.

Close app
If you want to close the app, tap on the „back“-button. A pop-up will appear asking you if you really want to close the app. Confirm this request by pressing “OK”.

3. Alerts

Alerts for cameras and danger spots

When a speed camera, in your driving direction, is closer than 5 km away, the street name of where the speed camera is located appears beneath the 3 green chevrons. The appearance of one or two street names preceeded by the symbol of a fixed or mobile speed camera and distance information are the first indicators for speed cameras in your driving direction.

When a fixed or mobile speed camera is closer than 1,000 meters away, the three chevrons change to the symbol of the speed camera type and the indicator bars turn to green. The orange arrow indicates the location of the speed camera.

If your current speed is above 80kph, you’ll hear the first audio alert. If the vehicle speed is 80kph or less, the first audible alert appears 500 meters before the speed camera.

If shortly after the upcoming speed camera another one is ahead less than 5 km away, its street name will be displayed in the bottom line. The warnings of fixed or mobile speed cameras are distinguished only by the word „mobile“ in the warning symbol.

In case of a mobile speed camera, in addition to the warning sign, up to three stars appear downright. They indicate the quality of warning: the more the stars, the more users have confirmed the existence of that particular speed camera. A speed camera that has just been reported won’t have any stars.

Alerts for danger spots
In the version 2.2 we added the new feature „Alert Danger Spots“.

Now there are six different danger spots you’ll get warnings for. At the same time, you can report these danger spots to other users.

Approaching the speed camera
Starting from the distance of 500 meters to the speed camera, every 100 meters one bar of the stack turns red …

…until 100 meters before the speed camera all the bars are red to signal that you need to be extremely cautious.

Audible alerts occur at 500 meters, 300 meters and 100 meters before a speed camera.Go to top

4. Alleged error

You may find, what appears to be an erroneous camera alert appear. For example, a traffic light or a 50-kph-speed camera on highway. Please make sure that the displayed street name is on your actual route.Go to top

5. Background mode/Widget Mode (ONLY in PLUS-version)

In the app settings, the background mode can be prioritized. Even if a navigation app is running in the foreground, alerts are given by the PLUS version.

To get visual alerts while using the background mode, the widget mode can be enabled, too. The widget can be panned freely and it remembers the previously set position if, in the meantime, the app was running in the foreground or even was finished.

6. Confirmation of mobile speed cameras

When an alert for a mobile speed camera occurs: After passing the speed camera, a query screen appears asking you whether you have seen it (thumb up) or not (thumb down). The response is made by simply tapping on one of the buttons. If in doubt, please close the window without tapping on any of the buttons. This screen is displayed for about 20 seconds and disappears if no button has been tapped.

7. Reporting a speed camera or a danger spot

Beside the speed camera or danger spot confirmation, unknown speed cameras/danger spots can be reported. This is simply done by tapping on the “+”-button in the upper left corner of the start screen. The app memorises the GPS position immediately when the button is tapped and displays a confirmation pop up.

Important for the report is the selection of the type of speed camera or danger spot seen. Beside various danger spots, speeds, distance and traffic light supervision can be chosen and be reported as well. The selected danger spot/speed camera type for reporting is marked as a blue tile.

The preselected camera type is mobile speed camera, because this occurs most frequently. The default speed is set according to the current speed by tapping on the „+“-button. This speed shall be rounded up to the nearest ten. This simply means that the driven speed of 41 kph is set to 50 kph, as would be 49 kph. If you drive 50 kph, it remains at the 50 kph default.

Immediately after the report, a confirmation popup appears telling you if the report was successfully sent.

8. Map

We have just recently made the map function available again. We found a way to limit the data consumption while using it.

When online, you can open the map in two ways. Please note that the look of the map on your phone might differ from the one displayed below.

Firstly, you can activate the map function by tapping on the button showing a map pin at the bottom right. This way, the report-button, the warning bars and your current speed will still be visible at the top of the screen. Secondly, if you activate the map in the options, the map will fill the display and the top section will not be visible anymore.

By tapping on the cogwheel in the upper right corner you can choose options for the display in the map, including the option to move the map synchronically with your movement (tapped twice, this setting will be saved for future uses). Mobile cameras are shown by default.

These options are valid for both maps. If a function is disabled, the button is red. When activated, it turns green.

9. Settings

Warnings

Here you can choose whether you want to get warnings for fixed and/or mobile speed cameras as well. At least one option must be selected. This is also where you can deactivate the acoustic warnings for road works.

If the app runs in background mode or as a widget (only in PLUS Version), you can adjust the display of the reports in the notification to being more extensive.

Version 2.6 (onwards) allows you to deactivate alerts for particular types of speedcams and danger spots.

ATTENTION Deactivation affects both acoustic AND visual alerts for the chosen type.

Online Mode active

If data roaming should be enabled this can be disabled separately for this application. Please note that there will be no updates for the speed camera database if you select the offline mode. The most recently downloaded database of fixed speed cameras and mobile speed cameras remains available.

Sound

In this menu item the volume of the alerts can be adjusted. Theses settings can also be tested.

Furthermore you need to select whether alerts shall be given as voice alerts or as beeps.

The GPS information can be selected separately. That is either „No GPS“ or „GPS found“. These indications appear just after starting the app and when the smartphone loses the GPS signal (e.g. in a tunnel) and receives the GPS signal again.

Under Audio output you can choose between Bluetooth and Built-in speakers, among others.

Language

In this section, the language, in which the display and the audible alerts should be given, can be selected. You can choose between English, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish and French.

To change the language successfully, the app needs to be restarted. The confirmation screen will already show the newly set language.

Screen orientation (ONLY in PLUS-version)

Here you have the choice of whether the orientation of the app on the display (portrait or landscape) shall be fixed, or if the app shall rotate with the display. To take effect of the changed screen orientation setting, the app needs to be restarted.

Change display (ONLY in PLUS-version)

As long as there are no warnings, the display can be changed from three chevrons to a smiley.

Behaviour at closing

You can determine whether you want to close the app with a confirmation pop up or without it. In this case the app will close immediately after tapping the back-button.

Background Mode (ONLY in PLUS-version)

In the app settings, the background mode can be selected. I.e. if a navigational app runs in the foreground, CamSam/Blitzer.de will still give alerts.

In addition, the background mode can be prioritized. This gives a higher priority to CamSam/Blitzer.de in cases of simultaneous use with other apps.

Widget Mode (ONLY in PLUS Version)

If you want to get visual alerts while using the background mode, you can additionally activate the widget mode. The widget can be panned freely and memorizes its previously set position, even if the app was working in the foreground in the meantime or was closed altogether. In the settings of the app you can choose the option to only show the widget when there is an alert. The widget can be customized in its size, i.e. 3 different sizes in portrait or landscape mode are available.

In order to make reporting of speedcams and hazards easier in widget mode, there is now a reporting button ‚+‘ on the left hand side or at the bottom of the widget.

Multi-Window (only in PLUS-version)

This function is currently supported by Samsung Galaxy S3 – S5, Note 1 – 4, Grand Duo and Mega and can be activated in the smartphone settings. With this function, 2 apps can be displayed at the same time, next to one another or one above the other (e.g. CamSam/Blitzer.de and a navigational app).

10. Infomation screen

This window appears when you tap on the little „i“ on the bottom right of the app. This screen displays the number of speed cameras in your database and in an area of 50 km diameter. The number of speed cameras in the area of 50 km is rather informative.

By re-tapping on the icon on the bottom right the app returns to radar view. If you get closer to a speed camera the warning bars are displayed at the top of the screen.